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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pass — a permit
  3. lie — to recline
  4. roll — a list
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. roll — a cake

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com